Framing The Future: Owen Tee

The Spring/Summer 2026 season has been endlessly ballyhooed as one of the most consequential in recent fashion memory, thanks to an unprecedented shuffle of new creative directors across various houses.

But the industry can oftentimes be too insulated and fond of drinking its own Kool-Aid, so we thought: why not have the season’s pieces interpreted through fresh eyes?

Enter Owen Tee, a 24-year-old media artist and fine art photographer who first made waves with Supper House, the experimental arts platform that gave him his first show and residency. Known for images that feel quietly beautiful yet deeply considered, Tee is one of three photographers we invited to put his lens on this season — and here, he talks about his process.

What first made you pick up the camera?

“I was 14 when I first intentionally picked up a camera, and it was the family’s camera. I didn’t have a flair for drawing or writing, and still don’t, but I really needed an outlet to express what I was feeling then. That is still a thread that ties me to my camera today. It helps me make sense of what I’m feeling and the world I see around me.”

What is most important to you when you’re shooting?
“I always focus on the intention behind the image. It’s something I can fall back on whenever the ideation process gets muddy or when ascertaining whether the final image works.”

Well I guess that ties in to my next question - what was your intention behind this shoot you did for us?

“With the theme of this issue centred around viewing fashion through a new lens and how we individually interpret the idea of fashion, I approached it with the direction of self-discovery. It is a never-ending personal conversation we have with fashion — what we like or don’t like, how we want to represent ourselves. Often, it is influenced by the season of life we’re currently in. The culmination of this never-ending fashion journey is self-discovery.

Hence, I brought the shoot to Botanic Gardens, a place that has accompanied me in both my personal and photographic journey. It showcases different parts of the gardens, almost like going on a stroll. In addition, the images attempt to possess a quiet sense of beauty, reflecting the current season of life I’m in.”

What’s the best and most difficult part of being a young photographer today in Singapore?

“The best thing about being a young photographer in Singapore today is that you can easily meet a lot of experienced photographers. Singapore is small, and the community is even smaller, often attending the same events together.

On the flip side, exposure to different photography methodologies might not be the same when compared to larger photography communities in Shanghai or Tokyo.”

What’s the last thing that made you look at art or photography in a new light, and why?

“Pie Aerts is a photographer from the Netherlands who recently started the print production of his latest book titled Coiron. It’s a project that spans over six years, documenting the ‘intimate world of some of these last puesteros (traditional sheep herders) in the Chilean region of Magallanes.”

There is something heavy about being genuinely emotionally invested in a community that you’re not from, committing years to connect with them, and learning about the lives they have lived through their stories. Documentary photography scratches this inherent human instinct of connecting with people, which I strongly felt with this project.”

Do you have any upcoming projects that you’d like to share?

“I hope to print more physical images this year, appreciating previously taken photos in a new light. I might start a still life series on flowers too, but we shall see where that goes.”

STYLING TOK WEI LUN STYLING ASSISTANT KEVIN TEW MODEL SOPHIA BEGUM/MANNEQUIN STUDIO HAIR & MAKEUP MANISA TAN, USING REVLON PROFESSIONAL SINGAPORE & NARS

An adapted version of this article first appeared in Volume 7 of F ZINE.